US2811774A - Electric shaver and protective housing therefor - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 5, 1957 c. L. OTTO ETAL ELECTRIC SHAVER AND PROTECTIVE HOUSING THEREFOR Filed Feb. 10, .1955

. 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 zip.

INVENTORS fl- WORN ATToRNEYs C. L. OTTO ET AL ELECTRIC SHAVER AND PROTECTIVE HOUSING THEREFOR Filed Feb l0 1955 Nov. 5, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet III "III lllllll llllllllll ll l l l l l l l l llmIllllllllllllllllllllllllfl ELECTRIC SHAVER AND PROTECTIVE HOUSING THEREFOR Filed Feb. 10, 1955 Nov. 5, 1957 c. 1.. OTTO ETAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS CARL A. Or-ro 6509 A? WOQN 1/4. BY 3 ATTORNEYS United States Patent ELECTRIC SHAVER AND PROTECTIVE HOUSING THEREFOR Carl L. Otto, New York, N. Y., and George A. Worn, Jr., Stamford, Conn., assignors to Schick Incorporated, Stamford, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Application February 10, 1955, Serial No. 487,304

2 Claims. (Cl. 30-41) The object of this invention is to provide an electric shaver which incorporates, as an integral part of it, a protective housing which serves to guard the shaver against injury when not in use but which can readily be adjusted or manipulated to expose the shearing head for shaving purposes.

In general, the invention contemplates a shaving unit, in the nature of a complete electric shaver, and a housing unit or shell telescoped over it. The two units are slidable with respect to one another, longitudinally of the shaver unit, so that the shell can be moved from a position in which it protects the shearing head end of the shaver to a position in which the shearing head protrudes through the end of the shell for shaving.

Other features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred form.

Fig. l is a broken out front elevation of a shaver according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a broken out side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a broken out top view partially sectioned on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 4 and 5 are elevations corresponding to Figs. 1 and 2 but with the components in shaving position;

Fig. 6 is a broken out, partially sectioned top view corresponding to Fig. 3 but with the parts in a difierent position;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of a detail, as on the line 77 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Figs. 9 and 10 are broken out elevational views of the upper end of the shaver, corresponding to Figs. 4 and 5 but with the components in a third position;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged, broken out top plan of the righthand side of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 12 is a vertical section on the line 12-12 of Fig. 11.

The shaver unit is generally designated 1. It comprises a complete shaver, including a plastic case 2 housing the usual drive motor (not shown) for operating cutting mechanism of any preferred form. In this instance, the shearing head is illustrated as being of a well-known type incorporating two identical, open-ended, outer cutters 3 and the usual motor-driven, open-ended inner cutters 4. The outer cutters are separated by a spacer 5 and the complete shearing head unit is seated on what will be referred to for convenience as the outer end of the shaver case 2 and secured to it in any preferred manner. The details of the cutters and their mounting and drive form no part of the present invention and require no further description.

In this preferred form, the shaver unit is provided with beard clippings receptacles mounted one at each end of the shearing head and normally forming closures for the open ends of the cutters but adapted to be opened to permit the beard clippings to be discharged and the cutters to be cleaned by running a brush through them, as usual. In this instance, these receptacles 10 are hinge Patented Nov. 5, 1957 ICC mounted on the shaver case and spring biased toward their open position. The outer end of the shaver case is recessed, as at 11 and the receptacles are seated in these recesses. Blocks 12 (Figs. 2 and 11) forming part of the shaver case, support hinge pins 13 on the outer ends of which the receptacles are mounted and pig-tail springs 14 mounted on the hinge pins urge the receptacles outwardly, that is, toward their open position (Figs. 9, 11, 12

The shaver case 2 is of uniform thickness throughout the major part of its length and, telescoped over and slidable on it, is a closely fitting shell or housing unit 20. This shell can be of metal so as not to increase the bulk of the shaver. In this instance the housing unit is shown as terminating short of the inner end of the shaver unit (that is, the end remote from the shearing head) but, as will be apparent, whether the shell covers more or less of the shaver unit is unimportant so long as they have adequate sliding engagement for the purpose.

Locking or detent means are provided for releasably holding the shaver unit and housing unit in different positions of adjustment. In this form such means comprises a spring 21, attached at its upper end to the wall ofthe housing unit shell and deformed at its free end 23 for engagement with detent notches formed in'the recessed wall 24 of the shaver case. In this instance three such notches 25, 26, 27 are shown. In the Fig. 1 position of the parts, in which the detent spring engages notch 25, the shell is in its outermost position and extends beyond the shearing head of the shaver so as to enclose and protect it against injury. Leaf springs 28, secured to the wall of the shell and having wiping engagement with the receptacles 10, serve to hold the latter closed while they are within the shell.

Preferably, and as shown, the outer end of the shell is provided with door means, such as the two identical doors 30 which are hinge mounted on the shell and normally biased toward their closed position (Figs. 1 and 2). As shown more particularly in Figs. 7 and 8, each door is mounted on a hinge pin 31 supported by the shell 20 and is normally held closed by a pig-tail spring 32.

When, now, it is desired to use the shaver, the housing unit or shell 20 is slid further on to the shaver unit (downwardly in Figs. 1 and 2) the doors 30 are engaged by the shaver unit (as by the receptacles 10) and opened, and the shearing head caused to protrude through the now open end of the shell (Figs. 4-7) until the detent engages notch 26. This is the shaving position of the components.

In this preferred form of the invention a third position of the components is contemplated, namely, a clearing position.

When the parts are in shaving position, it will be noted (Fig. 4, for example) that the outer end portions 35 of the shell overlie and block the opening of the receptacles 10. For clearing purposes, the shell and shaver unit are still further telescoped until the detent spring engages notch 27 (Fig. 9) thereby projecting the shaver unit through the end of the shell a sufiicient distance to permit the receptacles to be opened by their springs. As illustrated, they open back against the outer ends 35 of the shell. In this position of the parts the beard clippings may be cleaned out of the receptacles and cutters. Stop means may be provided to limit the inward telescoping of the shell and shaver unit, such as a block 36 positioned at the outer end of the shell for engagement with a shoulder 37 on the shaver unit.

After cleaning, the components are restored to shaving position by sliding them one on the other in the reverse direction, the end portions 35 of the shell forcing the receptacles back to their closed (Fig. 4) position. To close the shaver the units are slid back to their Fig. 1

3 position, the doors 30c1osing under the influence of their springs 32.

As will he apparent, the shaver components are easily and quickly adjusted for use and,;when in their closed position, the shaver can be safely put away or carried without fear of injury to the shearing head and, if-desired, without any such additional guard, case or box as is usually necessary to protect the shaver.

It will'be obvious that numerous changes in detail can be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention; and,'in the light of the foregoing exemplification, t he following is claimed:

1. An electric shaver comprising the combination of a shaver unit including a case having a shearinghead disposed-across one end thereof,-outwardly opening beard clippings receptacles mounted at the ends of the shearing head and spring means biasing said receptacles outwardly; a. housing unit telescoped over the case and having door means adapted in one position to close and in another position to open the shearinghead end of the housing unit; said units being longitudinally slidable relative 't0;0ne another to 'afirst position in which the shearposition; in said first position, portions of the housing unit overlying and-blocking the openingof said-receptacles and, in said second position, the receptacles being clear of said blocking portions; and detent means for holding the units in each of their said positions.

2. An electric shaver comprising a shaver unit having a shearing head disposed-across one end thereof; outwardly,opening -receptacles mounted at the ends of, the shearing head and spring means. biasing said receptacles outwardly; a shell unitteleseoped over and slidable lengthwise with respect to. the shaver unit; locking means for releasablyhqlding ;the shell unit in a first position in which it covers the said shearing head and in a second positionlin whichatheshearing head protrudes through the end of the shell.,unit;.,and means associated with the shell adapted to engage the said recaptacles and hold them closed while the shell is in its said first position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED ,STATES PATENTS 2,354,657 Arey- Aug. 1, 1944 2520;885 Lonne' Aug. 29, 1950 2,597,552 Wagner Mayx20, 1952 2,691,216 Ross, Oct. 12, 1954 FOREIGN iPATENTS 664,853 France Apr. 29, 1929

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